OTHER PONTIFICAL ACTS

VATICAN CITY, OCT 8, 2002 (VIS) - The Holy Father appointed Archbishop Giorgio Zur, representative of the Holy See to the Russian Federation, as apostolic nuncio in Austria.

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AUDIENCES

VATICAN CITY, OCT 8, 2002 (VIS) - The Holy Father today received in separate audiences:

- Archbishop Ramiro Moliner Ingles, apostolic nuncio in Guatemala.
- Five prelates from the Episcopal Conference of Chile on their "ad limina" visit:
- Bishop Alberto Jara Franzoy of Chillan.
- Bishop Miguel Blas Caviedas Medina of Los Angeles.
- Bishop Francisco Javier Prado Aranguiz of Rancagua.
- Bishop Enrique Troncoso Troncoso of Melipilla.
- Bishop Cristian Enrique Contreras Molina of San Felipe.

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HOLY SEE DELEGATE TO U.N. ADDRESSES ASSEMBLY ON AGEING

VATICAN CITY, OCT 8, 2002 (VIS) - Archbishop Renato Martino, head of the Observer Delegation of the Holy See to the United Nations, spoke yesterday before the Third Committee during the discussion of the report of the secretary general on Item 99, the follow-up to the International Year of Older Persons: Second World Assembly on Ageing.

Archbishop Martino, who is president-elect of the Pontifical Council for Justice and Peace, pointed to the U.N.-sponsored meetings to discuss the problems of older persons, and said that "Too many people, especially older persons are not aware of the work that has been done, and too many do not know that there is indeed a plan to help them to better realize their role in the societies in which they live, and the responsibilities that societies have in helping older persons fulfill those roles."

He noted that "the Catholic Church, through its various agencies and local diocesan programs operates 13,239 homes, hospices and care institutions for older persons."

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POPE PRAISES ACTIVE AND SPIRITUAL ECUMENISM OF ST. BRIDGET

VATICAN CITY, OCT 5, 2002 (VIS) - The Holy Father presided yesterday afternoon at 6 p.m. in the Vatican Basilica at an ecumenical celebration of vespers on the occasion of the 700th anniversary of the birth of St. Bridget of Sweden, co-patroness of Europe. High-level representatives of the Lutheran Church participated in the ceremony. The king and queen of Sweden were represented by their daughter Princess Victoria.

"I would like to emphasize," said the Pope in his homily, "another aspect of the personality of this great missionary of the faith, ... her active and determined efforts for the unity of Christians. During a complex and difficult time in Church and European history ... she did not cease to work for the cohesion and authentic progress of the unity of believers."

After John Paul II recalled the message that he had delivered a few days earlier to the sisters of the Order of St. Bridget in which he defined the saint as a "women of unity who is a witness to ecumenism for us," he indicated that her ecumenism, "spiritual and at the same time active," was "a spiritual heritage to strive for, a common commitment to follow with joyful generosity."

"As unity in the Church is a grace from the Spirit," concluded the Pope, "we must pray constantly for it and then build it up with tireless tenacity, each person offering their own personal contribution."

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INTERNATIONAL VATICAN CONGRESS ON CATECHESIS TO BE CELEBRATED

VATICAN CITY, OCT 5, 2002 (VIS) - From October 8 to 11, an International Congress on Catechesis, organized by the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith and the Congregation for Clergy, will be celebrated in the New Synod Hall in the Vatican.

According to a communique published today by both congregations, the congress marks the tenth anniversary of the publication of the Catechism of the Catholic Church and the fifth anniversary of the publication of the General Directory for Catechesis.

Among those invited are the editors of both documents, presidents of the commissions for the Doctrine of the Faith and the catechesis of the Episcopal Conferences, and directors of the National Offices of Catechesis.

"The Congress," says the communique, "will reflect on ... the today and the tomorrow of evangelization and catechesis in the world, delineating ... the many problems ... that afflict Christian communities at the beginning of the third millennium."

"There is no doubt that the phenomenon of secularism, ambiguous fascination with the New Age and sects, the syncretist appropriation of the faith, religious and cultural pluralism, poverty, the loss of human rights, including the loss of religious freedom, are serious challenges for the unity and oneness ... of the proclamation of the Gospel message."

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